Production of artificial fuel and coke.



Unrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH SPENCER ROBERTSON AND JOHN RAVENHILL GRAHAM, OF WALTHAMSTOW, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO ROBGREY & COMPANY LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLNND.

raonnorron or ARTIFICIAL FUEL AND ooKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1 908.

Application filed June 18. 1907- Serial No. 379,628-

- ERTSON and J OHN RAVENHILL GRAHAM, sub- 'ects of the King of England, both residing at althamstow, Essex, in England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to the Production of Artificial Fuel and Coke, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the production of artificial fuel and coke, one object being to produce a 'substituteifor coal or the like from anthracite or;,other coal dust or slack, coal. washings, coal sludge and similar waste materials all or any'of'which are hereinafter included in the expression the combustible material and another object is to provide means for producing coke from these substances or from anthracite coal.

According to this invention, tar, crude naphtha or other tarry substanceis mixed with a hydrocarbon oil such as etroleum, shale or Texas oil under such conditions as to produce a solid precipitate or residuum which can be separated fromthe remaining thin liquor. It is found that this precipitate is readily produced by mixing the tarry substance and the hydrocarbon oil in substantially equal proportions, agitating the mixtur e thoroughly, say for one hour and leaving it to settle for say twenty-four hours. The mixture ma be effected at ordinary tenmeratures or a a temperature not exceeding 120 E; the quantity of the precipitate may vary considerably according, to the proportions or qualities of the ingredients. The precipitate or residuum can be dried say-by heating it, and when dry forms a pulverulent and highly combustible substance.

One feature of this invention consists in the employment of the precipitate preferably in a dry pulverulent state as an admlxture t o the combustible material to increase the1r combustible properties and ialorific value.

The thin fluid from which the precipitate has been separated is, according to this invention, employed in the production of a binding agent for artificial fuel. ,For this purpose resinous matter is dissolved in the liquor which is heated until it forms a thick viscous mass to form the binding .agent; this mass may be mixed with a tarry substance substantially in equal proportions and a small proportion of common salt may be added. In producing artificialfuel from the comwhich incorporation silver sand, and sa bustible material in accordance with this invention, the latter is reduced to a dry powder and thoroughly mixed with .a small proportion of the dried precipitate produced as above described. To this solid pulverulent mass is added a suitable proportion of the bindin agent produced as above described. The w ole is mixed at a temperature at takes place and the resulting product is pressed into blocks or briquets or otherwlse treated to produce artificial fuel of the desired form. Or again according to this invention a binding agent of the kind described is mixed with suitable quantities .of lime, ulverulent silica, such as tpeter with or without a precipitate of the kind described, and the whole is heated. A small proportion of the resulting substance when mixed with the combustible material may be used for the roduction of a block fuel or briquets suitable for any of the urposes for which coal is ordinarily used an from which a coke may be obtained.

The following is a description by way of example of one method of carrying this invention into effect in the production of artificial fuel from coal slack: gallons of tar is mixed with one hundred gallons of petroleum the tem erature being raised if required so as to faci itate thorough admixture. The mixture is thoroughly agitated say for one hour and left to settle until the solid precipitate is separated from the remaining thin fluid. As a matter of experience we find that such so )aration is complete in about twenty-four ours. The precipitate is then dried, conveniently at a temperature not exceeding 100 F. To produce the binding agent, the thin fluid is raised to a temperature of say 100 F: powdered or lump resin or similar substance is added in the proportion of one hundred-weight of resin to two hundred-weight oi the fluid and the mixture is heated until'it boils and forms a thick syru )y mass and is thenleft to cool, for, say twelve hours, whereby the binder is produced. To this is added tar, crude naphtha or similar tarry substance in the proportion of sixty pounds of tar to fifty-six pounds of the thicr syru y mass. To this may be added four poun s of common salt and the whole is again heated to effect thorough admixture.

' Coal slack in the form of a powder is mixed fwitha small quantity .of pulverulent dried One hundred precipitate, produced as above described, in the proportion of say one ounce of dried precipitate to seven pounds of coal slack. A small quantity. of the binder or emulsion is now incorporated with the powdered mixture in the proportion of half an ounce of the binder 'to one, pound of mixture, and the whole is thoroughly mixed at a temperature of say 70 to 140 F., when the mixture is ready for forming into briquets or the like.

Another method of carrying this invention into effect is as follows: The tar and petroleumare mixed and agitated as before, and after standing as required the solid precipitate is se arated from the thin liquld. As before, a inding agent is prepared from the thin liquid by the addition of resin, tar, etc. and thereafter the precipitate is added to the binding agent so as to produce a cohesive substance which will act both as a binding agent and to increase the combustibldproperties and calorific value of the materials'with which it is mixed. For the purpose-of forming a briquet from a mixture containinglcoal slack or the like, a 'sm all may if desired be added.

According to another method of carrying out this invention, 15 lbs. of the binding agent may be mixed with 7 lbs. of the precipitate (either dry or as produced). To this is added 3 /4 lbs. of slaked or unslaked lime, 1

lb. of silver sand or shell grit, 1 oz. saltpeter, with or. without 1 oz. common salt. After heating this mixture it forms into a solid mass somewhat resembling pitch. In order to produce a fuel with the aid of this sub stance, it is mixed with the combustible material with or without a small proportion of the recipitate referred to in the proportion of a out 3%; of this substance to 96 a, of the combustible material, and the mixture is formed in any usual way into briquets or block fuel. When this fuel is burned in any grate or furnace, it is found that it tends to coke in a manner similar to ordinary bitumino'us coal.

In order to produce a coke, the binding agent is mixed with the combustible material in the above mentioned proportions. The mixture is heated and thoroughly agitated to incorporate the ingredients and may be formed into masses, lum'ps, blocks or briquets. When these are heated in the usual way many ordinary coking furnace, it is found that a satisfactory and coherent coke is roduced which has hitherto been impossib e with anthracite and the like.

It is to be understood that the proportions Of the ingredients and other details may be desire material.

3. Thehereindescribed process for producing artificial fuel which consists in mixing tarry matter with hydrocarbon oil in substantially equal proportions, agitating the mixture, warming the mixture, se arating the solid residuum precipitated an, mixing it with combustible material.

4. The hereindescribed process for producing artificial fuel which consists in mixing tarry matter with hydrocarbon oil agitating the mixture, allowing it to settle, separating the solid .residuumprecipitated, drying the residuum to form a powder and mixing the residuum with combustible material. proportion of Water 5. The hereindescribed process for producing artificial fuel which consists in mixing tarry matter with hydrocarbon oil, separat ing the solid residuum preci itated, (llSSOlV- ing resinous matter in the tiin iiuid residue to form a binding agent and mixing the binding agent with combustible material.

6. The hereindescribed process for producing artificial fuel which consists in mixing tarry matter with hydrocarbon oil separating the solid residuum precipitated, dissolving resinous matter in the thin fluid residue, adding tar thereto to form a bind.ng agent and mixing the binding agent with co1nbustible material.

7. The hereindescribed process for producing artificial fuel which consists in. mixing tarry matter with hydrocarbon. oil, separating the solid residuum precipitated, dissolving resinous matter in the thin fluid residue, adding tar and common salt thereto to form a binding agent and mixing the binding agent with. combustible material.

8. The hereindescribed process for producing artificial fuel which consists in mixing tarry matter with hydrocarbon oil, separating the solid residuum precipitated, dissolvingresinous matter in the thin fluid residue to form a binding agent and mixing the solid residuum and the binding agent with combustible material.

9. The hereindcscribed. process for producing artificial fuel which consists in mixing tarry matter with hydrocarbon oil, agitating the mixture, allowing it to settle, separating the solid residuum 'irecipitatcd, dissolving resinous matter in the thin fluid residue, adding tar thereto to form a binding agent and mixing the solid residuum and the binding agent with combustible material;

10. The hereindescribed process for producing artificial fuel which consists in mixing tarry matter with hydrocarbon oil, agitating the mixture, allowing it to settle, separating the solidqesiduum precipitated, drying the residuuni to'form a powder, dissolving resinou'slmatter in the t in fluid residue, adding tartheretoto form a binding agent and mixinggth'e solid residuum and the binding agent with combustible material.

1 1lhe hereindesr'rribed process for pro? dug g'ting' artificial fuel which consists in mixingtar with petroleum, agitating the mixture, allowing it to settle, separating the solid residuum precipitated and mixing it residuumpdissolving resin in the thin fluid residue, adding tar thereto to form a binding agent and mixing the binding agent with. powdered coal. I

14. The hereindescribed process for producing artificial fuel which consists in mixing tar with petroleum, agitatiiigfltghemixture, allowing it to settle, separat'iilgv the solid residuum precipitated, dissolving resin in the thin fluid residue, adding tar thereto to form a binding agent and mixing the solid residuum and the binding agent with powdered coal.

15. The hereindescribed process for producing artificial fuel which consists in mixing tar with 'etroleum, agitating the mixture,

allowing it to settle, separatingthe solid residuum precipitated, drying thev residuum to form a owder, dissolvin resin inthe thin fluid resi ue, adding tar t ereto to form a binding agent and mixing the solid residuum and the binding agent with powdered coal.-

16. The hereindescribed process for the production of-artificial coking fuel which consists in mixing tar with petroleum,

agitating the mixture and allowing it to stand, separating out the-solid residuum fluid residue, addin tar, lir ne, pulverulent silica and saltpeter t iereto to form a binding agent and mixing the binding agent with powdered coal.

17. The herein'described process for the production of artificial coking fuel which consists I in mixing tar with petroleum, agitating the mixture and allowing it to :precipitated, dissolving resin in the thin I stand, separating out the solid residuum precipitated, dissolving resin in, the thin fluid residue, adding1 tar, lime, pulverulent silica and saltpcter t ereto to form'a binding agent and. mixing the binding agent with powdered anthracite coal.

18. The hereindescribed process for production of ,artificial coking fuel-wh1ch consists in mixing tar nah petroleum, agitating the mixture and allowing it to stand, separating out the solid. residuum precipitated, dissolving resin in the thin fluid residue, adding silica and saltpeter t ereto to form a binding agent and mixing the solid residuum and the tar, lime, pulverulent binding agent with powdered anthracite coal In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribin witnesses.

HUGH PENCER ROBERTSON. JOHN RAVENHILL GRAHAM. Witnesses: I

- B. PEARSON, WILLIAM HENRY BALLANTYNE. 

